Guano

Guano

The first overseas acquisition of the United States was not Hawaii, but Midway, claimed under the Guano Act of 1856.

Copy Link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Pocket
Email

The first overseas acquisition of the United States was not Hawai’i but Midway, discovered by a commercial seaman in 1859 and claimed under the Guano Act of 1856, which said,

Whenever any citizen of the United States discovers a deposit of guano on any island, rock, or key, not within the lawful jurisdiction of any other government…and takes peaceable possession thereof, and occupies the same, such island, rock, or key may, at the discretion of the President, be considered as appertaining to the United States.

"It is exceedingly gratifying to me to have been…concerned in taking possession of the first island ever added to the dominion of the United States beyond our own shores, and I sincerely hope that this will by no means be the last of our insular annexations," wrote the captain of the US naval vessel, formalizing the acquisition in 1859. How and when Midway officially became part of Hawai’i is hard to trace, but it is now part of the string of reefs and atolls making up the 140,000-square-mile Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Monument, established by President George W. Bush in 2006.

Support independent journalism that exposes oligarchs and profiteers


Donald Trump’s cruel and chaotic second term is just getting started. In his first month back in office, Trump and his lackey Elon Musk (or is it the other way around?) have proven that nothing is safe from sacrifice at the altar of unchecked power and riches.

Only robust independent journalism can cut through the noise and offer clear-eyed reporting and analysis based on principle and conscience. That’s what The Nation has done for 160 years and that’s what we’re doing now.

Our independent journalism doesn’t allow injustice to go unnoticed or unchallenged—nor will we abandon hope for a better world. Our writers, editors, and fact-checkers are working relentlessly to keep you informed and empowered when so much of the media fails to do so out of credulity, fear, or fealty.

The Nation has seen unprecedented times before. We draw strength and guidance from our history of principled progressive journalism in times of crisis, and we are committed to continuing this legacy today.

We’re aiming to raise $25,000 during our Spring Fundraising Campaign to ensure that we have the resources to expose the oligarchs and profiteers attempting to loot our republic. Stand for bold independent journalism and donate to support The Nation today.

Onward,

Katrina vanden Heuvel

Editorial Director and Publisher, The Nation

Ad Policy
x